Visions
by Moonlit Sage
Summary: Summary: If you could see the future, would it be the unalterable? Or the possible? Would you believe your visions in the first place or would you be afraid to hope? Rated to be safe for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1 Yorda

Summary: If you could see the future, would it be the unalterable? Or the possible? Would you believe your visions in the first place or would you be afraid to hope?

I don't own anything other than a copy of the game Ico. I'm broke anyway, if you sue me you wouldn't get far. Anyways, hope you enjoy it! Part one is pregame.

Vision

Part One

Hope?

_Breathless, triumphant, a small boy with horns watches a dark portal dissipate into inky smoke. Lowering his sword carefully, he calls to the shadows lingering on the side of the courtyard. He extends his hand and calls again._

_A pale slip of a girl appears from behind a stone column. She glows eerily in the sunlight, her skin much whiter than snow. Her thin body moves clumsily, tentatively, as she crosses to the boy. She reaches out with a delicate hand. He quickly grabs her hand and begins to run, dragging her along behind._

_He unused to leading, and she unused to being led, they move jerkily. They trip and stumble forward, their arms swinging wildly. Their hands, one unearthly pale, the other small but strong, remain clasped together. _

_They near the opposite end of the courtyard. A chain dangles over the side of a ledge high above their heads. The girl looks up at the space hidden within the cliff. She nods and squeezes the boy's hand. _

_The boy releases the girl's hand and tests the chain. Quickly, lest another portal open while he was unable to protect the girl, he shimmies up. Pulling himself onto a ledge, he sees a sturdy box just in front of a huge set of carved doors. He runs his free hand along the carvings, but they remain unresponsive. Exhaling, he begins to struggle to push the box down so the girl can follow him up._

_A frightened gasp floats to him. Gripped by a strange vertigo, he stiffens and sees the girl, terrified, a smudge of white slowly disappearing into a black portal. One last heave and the box falls over and down, the boy leaping down behind it. _

_He lands to the left of the portal that opened just below the ledge. He runs over and grabs wildly for a pale arm. Pulling her out is easy, she is lighter than the box. He backs her away from the portal, slashing at the dark spirits emerging once again. _

_They are mad. This horned boy has interfered with their sole objective. They attack him just as fiercely as he swings at them. But they cannot reach the girl to return her to her cage. The boy prevents them, rushing back even when he is tossed aside. Eventually, the dark spirits fade. The portal dissipates and the two are alone once again. _

_The girl hovers nervously by his side as the boy positions the box against the wall. He jumps up and crawls out of sight. The girl waits stiffly atop the box. She is visibly relieved when his horned head appears over the ledge. She reaches up as he reaches down and with his help, scrambles up to the ledge._

_The girl walks ahead, releasing the boy's hand. She approaches the doors and makes as if to touch them. An electrical snap shatters the silence. The girl backs up as a green charge spreads across the doors. They creak open and the air is still once again._

_The boy takes her hand once again. He leads her through the doors at a slow walk. They pass out of sight around the corner._

Yorda awoke with a gasp. Crystalline tears gathered in her eyes as she slumped wearily against the all too familiar bars of her suspended cage. She had dreamed of the same horned boy seven times in a row now. _Seven times_. She would have liked to credit that. Seven was a strong number. But horned children were brought to the desolate castle only as a sacrifice. None had ever escaped. Yorda dared not hope her dream had merit. She cried herself to sleep that night all the same.

End of Part One

Now, if you would leave a little review for little me? Come on people, you knew this part was coming. Please? Feel free to stick around either way, Part Two will be up soon!


	2. Chapter 2 Ico

Well, I didn't own Ico last time, still don't now, come to think of it. Enjoy anyways!

Visions

Part Two-Alone

_Flickering torchlight spreads shadows unevenly around the stone room. A slim girl, ghostly white, crouches just outside of an iron cage. Beside her, a small boy is sprawled on the stone floor. Gently, the girl presses her hand to his forehead. He stirs, and her hand retreats. _

_"Are you okay?" she asks softly, staring curiously into his eyes. Slowly, she reaches out to brush her hands against the horns sprouting from the boy's head. He ducks and scrambles away, still on his back. Twelve years as the scapegoat of his village had left a deep wariness, bordering on fear, when dealing with others._

_They stare at each other for a moment, studying. The boy blinks and nods his head. A smile slowly appears on the girl's face, mirrored tentatively by the boy. _

_Unobtrusively, a dark portal spreads in the shadows. A dark mass separates and straightens. It slips jerkily across the room. The girl is grabbed from behind. Her surprised gasp spurs the boy into motion. _

_He rises to his feet. The shadows return to the portal just ahead of him. The girl frees one slender hand and reaches out. The boy grabs for her, pulling as the shadow begins to sink once more into the portal. The girl slides free of the shadow; the boy quickly drops her shaking hand. He is thrown back by a second shadow even as a third hoists the girl up once more._

_Again, her frightened voice calls the boy to action. Surging back to his feet, the boy rushes to free the girl again. This time, rather than let go he pulls the girl away from the portal. He guards the girl now, attacking with the pointed horns on his head to keep the shadows at bay. Still, they are soon cornered. The hem of the girl's dress brushes against carvings set into the wall._

_Green light arches up and away from the wall. Stunned, the pair watches the green energy lance into the shadows. They dissipate into patches of oily smoke. A gentle breeze tugs around the legs of the boy and ruffles the hem of the girl's dress. They turn around._

_The carvings have parted. Beyond them a soft green courtyard shimmers innocently in the sun. The boy walks forward, amazed. The girl hovers uncertainly in the opening. _

_The boy jogs out a bit, reveling in the feel of the sun on his skin. Birds startle at his movement and take flight. He studies the courtyard and relaxes. No shadows appear. The birds resettle in front of a stone bench. In the distance, perhaps just over the far wall, water rushes along, filling the air with a steady rumble. The air is crisp and fresh after being so long inside the gloomy castle._

_He turns twice, looking around. The girl still hesitates on the side. He calls to her uncertainly. She steps obediently into the light, but stops. He calls again, stronger and waves her over. She crosses about half the distance between them, her white skin glowing in the sun. He extends his hand toward her and calls once more, smiling a little._

_The girl smiles shyly and runs the remaining distance over. She takes the boy's outstretched hand. The birdsong lulls them and the welcome sun relaxes them. They sit down together on the stone bench; their hands loosely clasped in the space between them. Soft light spreads around them. Exhausted, they fall asleep immediately, hands still joined. _

Ico slowly opened his eyes. Absently he stretched, straining against the cuffs that bound him. He had dreamed of that same girl seven times now. Seven…

Clumsily, Ico touched the horns that curved away from his skull. They had doubled in size earlier that day; at exactly the time he was born twelve years ago. Tomorrow he would be brought to that dream-castle, but to be locked in a tomb, bound hand and foot as he was today. Escaping that would be nothing short of a miracle. Ico stared solemnly at the distant stars. Cursed children like himself did not receive miracles. And that castle was empty.

Right?

End of Part Two

Phew. I got it up for you. Reviews are always welcome! Don't act like you didn't see that coming. Anyway, I have one more part in store for you, but that'll have to wait until I come back. Please do not abandon me, readers dear! Check back in a few days!


	3. Chapter 3 Yorda

Ah, it's been so long. But I still don't own more than a copy of this game. Alas.

Oh well. Here we go again! Oh, in this chapter and the next, it's more of a memory than a dream. Memories can be every bit as strange as dreams, can't they? But which one is more accurate...?

Visions—part three

Don't Despair

_The sun was low in the sky, sending inviting shafts of light along the bridge. Faintly, the small scratching of forest creatures could be heard. The stone walkways had connected. It was a long bridge, but it was there. Freedom was just on the other side. _

_Grinning, a small horned boy…Ico… tore his gaze away and turned to the girl behind him. Concern overrode his joy as he saw her condition. He threw a longing glance over his shoulder, but hurried back to kneel beside her._

_The girl…Yorda… had collapsed. Her small white hands had fisted around loose stones. Her body heaved in time with her breathing as she forced air into her body. She looked utterly drained, gasping on her knees. As Ico knelt beside her, she looked up. He held out his hand. She smiled weakly and took it._

_Together, they stood up. Yorda swayed a little, instinctively hunching over. Both of her hands were twined around Ico's arm for support. Murmuring encouragement, the small horned boy led them slowly along the bridge. Pausing a little way onto the bridge, Ico peered over the edge. The river swept innocently along far below. _

_They were halfway across when Yorda began to cough. The stones began to grumble, the bridge was pulling apart once again. Yorda she fell back roughly. Still weak, she did not struggle as she was pulled back to the castle._

_Ico landed lightly on the opposite side. He looked back quickly, ready to catch Yorda as she leapt. Her slight body never came. Ico stared at the girl, motionless on the stone. He turned away. She lifted her head slowly and stared at his back. _

_Ico was leaving her, walking for the forest at the end of the bridge. Yorda watched him go and did not cry out._

The shriek of metal rang throughout the chamber. The inanimate scream rose as the sword was pushed deeper, deeper through flesh and stone. Abruptly, it was silenced, sending echoes out into the hall.

Yorda woke immediately.

Calmly, the black spirit looked around the empty hall. Flexing long, black fingers, making a fist, spreading both hands wide, it waited for the sound to fade from the air. Rolling easily to its feet, the black spirit stood. Softly, a hollow clack floated out of the room. The barely audible sound was far more chilling than the scream of the sword that preceded it.

With a body black as night, Yorda turned and left the hall.

TBC

Onward and upward! Nyahahaha! I'm soooo glad this computer is back from Arizona now…-purrs like a cat-


	4. Chapter 4 Ico

Ok, just making sure that it is as clear as possible. Italics in this chapter is more memory than dream, and plain font is the current events.

Visions-part three, chapter two

Sacrifice

An ivory curve fell to the floor with a hollow clatter. It was a horn, only just recently detached from the head of a young boy. Gingerly the boy fingered the rough stump remaining on his head. Bright red blood spread onto his fingers.

_The stone bridge wobbled still farther apart. Yorda was still motionless on the other half. Ico stood slowly, waiting for her to move. She was so still. Ico turned away, looking away from the castle, and from her. A moan, barely heard over the grinding stones brushed against his ears. He turned again, Yorda was stirring._

_Ico leapt desperately for the other side. He flung himself over, willing his body to clear the widening gap, dropping his mace in the process. He felt rather than saw it slide past his shoulder and down…so far down to the river._

Ico stumbled into the shelter behind the statue. An icy wave of energy bubbled around him and faded, neutralizing the Queen's attack. The conflicting energies faded. Ico peered around the statue, stepping warily out from behind it. There. His sword had fallen on the stairs directly in front of the throne.

Deftly, Ico snatched up the sword as he ran. He brought the blade up as he charged forward. He thrust it point-forward as he leapt up the last few stairs. The sharp point forced its way through the Queen's thin body and into the stone beyond.

_His jump was not enough. He began to fall, just shy of his destination. A small hand grabbed his wrist. Her grip, amazingly sure, was all that kept him from the river. Slowly, she pulled him up, closer and closer to the top of the bridge. Ico strained to reach the edge with his free hand. Yorda smiled a little at him. Thanking him for coming back, encouraging him. It was just a little further up._

_A shadow oozed over her arm. Ico watched it drip down to her wrist; felt her skin cool as it engulfed her hand. He froze and looked into her eyes. Yorda's face, her eyes, surrounded by shadow, apologized with broken silence. Ico felt himself slide from her grasp. Over her shoulder he saw the icy black figure of the Queen. She was smiling cruelly at him, her hands set possessively on Yorda's shoulders._

He was flung bodily across the room. The sword, still stuck deeply into the chair flashed again and went dark. The Queen's body disappeared. Ico felt his head connect with the stone wall. White pain seared through his head, followed by a welcome blackness.

An ivory horn fell after him. It clattered and bounced to a stop beside its mate.

End of part three

Another little cutie chapter. In size, not content that is…Anyway, questions? Comments? Please leave a review. I feel lonely up here at chapter 4. No one reviews for me anymore...


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